Which small SUV should I Buy?

Susan is in the market for a small automatic SUV that’s stylish, safe, luxurious and affordable to run.

With her grandchildren now approaching adulthood, practicality is less of a priority than it used to be. She quite likes Nissan’s Qashqai.

The budget

Less than $40,000

The shortlist

The Qashqai’s broad and well-rounded array of strengths lines up nicely with a broad section of buyers, and it certainly doesn’t trip up significantly against Susan’s criteria.

However, while she’d probably be perfectly happy with the Nissan there are other city SUVs that might shine even brighter in this kind of classy urban-tootler role.

In the case of our two suggestions, you can not only crank up the style meter over the Qashqai but potentially shave your outgoings as well.

Mazda CX-3 Akari petrol FWD auto, from $34,790

This Mazda is a sharp-looking small SUV with a genuinely upmarket cabin and, in this topline model, luxuries such as leather heated seats, sat-nav and sunroof.

Its safety artillery follows the upmarket theme with auto emergency braking, active cruise control and loads of other contemporary driver aids.

It’s one of the sweeter handling small SUVs you can buy and this version’s 111kW 2.0-litre engine/six-speed-auto petrol drivetrain is willing and frugal (6.3L/100km). A five-year warranty and fixed-price-servicing combo with yearly/10,000km intervals highlights a strong ownership pitch.

But the CX-3’s back seat and boot (264 litres) are both notably tight for a small SUV. While it soaks up the bumps well, its engine is noisy and road noise can be intrusive at highway speeds.

Nissan Qashqai Ti, from $37,990

This Nissan isn’t hard on the eyes, especially this topline model with its chrome trimmings, Nappa leather and other glitz. Its sat-nav, heated seats, panoramic roof, auto emergency braking, active cruise control and other tricks bolster the upmarket air.

Like the Mazda it’s covered by a fixed-price servicing deal with yearly/10,000km intervals but you get an extra year of certainty (six in total). Its back seat and boot (430 litres) are both a lot roomier.

But the Qashqai doesn’t feel quite so upmarket as the CX-3 inside and, while it has no major driving flaws, it’s not a benchmark of handling flair or ride comfort. Its 106kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder/CVT auto combo is less raucous than the Mazda’s but also a little weaker and thirstier (6.9L/100km).

It’s covered by the shorter warranty (three years) and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring – which can at least be retrofitted to the Mazda for $500 – isn’t available.

Toyota C-HR Koba 2WD, from $33,390

This Toyota serves up plenty of visual bang for your buck and its cabin’s dramatic form and crafted feel contribute to its sense of style.

It lands on a sweet driving balance with its agile, comfortable and refined road manners, while its 85kW 1.2-litre turbo-petrol/CVT auto drivetrain – which cranks out nearly as much torque as its rivals’ bigger engines but from substantially fewer revs – is a flexible, hushed and economical (6.4L/100km) performer

This topline model has the same key luxuries and safety features as its rivals here, and its back seat and boot (377 litres) are competitively sized. Toyota’s five-year fixed-price servicing deal has this group’s longest intervals (yearly/15,000km).

But the C-HR’s back seat has a cave-like ambience and its technology armoury is this group’s weakest – its auto emergency braking doesn’t work in reverse like the Mazda’s, it doesn’t have lane-keeping intervention like the Nissan and it has a reversing camera rather than their surround-view units, and there are other omissions, including smartphone integration.

It’s the only car here to ask for premium unleaded, can feel underpowered when asked to sprint and Toyota’s warranty expires after three years.

Drive recommends

A strong case could be made for the Qashqai if Susan had a real practical requirement but in the absence of such it’s not quite classy enough.

So it comes down to the Mazda and Toyota, both of which pack more visual punch, have a more upmarket air inside and are nicer to drive while being similarly easy and affordable to run.

Either would be a valid choice but with one of the C-HR’s big advantages over the CX-3 – its extra space – irrelevant here, the Mazda's superior tech serve, cheaper fuelling and longer warranty add up to a small but decisive winning edge.